Tag Archives: Elks friends

Tip Top Breakfast at Top of the Morning

Posted on July 17, 2026 by mohawkvalleygirl

I met my Elks friends for breakfast this morning at Top of the Morning Cafe in North Utica, NY. We had eaten there before, so I was able to refrain from annoying the car behind me by slowing down at every turn looking for Coventry Avenue. I may have annoyed other cars with other driving behavior; I make no promises when it comes to annoying people.

I remembered to take a picture on the way in.

There were many good menu choices as well as some tempting specials. I dithered and debated. Then I went ahead and ordered two eggs over medium with Italian toast.

“That’s it?” Michele said. I had been looking at some pretty elaborate meals.

“I’ll eat it, and I’ll like it,” I said. Actually, the eggs were exactly the way I like them, and the toast had plenty of butter, also the way I like it.

I enjoy a simple breakfast sometimes.

I also liked the coffee mugs: what I call a four-finger mug, because the handle is nice and big. I put pepper on my eggs but no salt. Lately I have been eating eggs without salt and find I like them just as well. Who knew?

Bonnie got one of the more elaborate breakfasts. I think it was a meat lovers scramble. I took a picture for blogging purposes.

It did look tempting!

I may get one of the bigger breakfasts another time and take some home. For today, I enjoyed what I got.

Top of the Morning Cafe is located at 414 Trenton Rd., Utica, NY.

Blanche DuBois, Can You Help Me Now?

Posted on July 10, 2026 by mohawkvalleygirl

Hello, and welcome to a Non-Sequitur Thursday Post. I only hope I can come up with a headline sufficiently intriguing to entice people to read what I can come up with. To put things out of order, I lead with my best picture, which I took late in the day, when I gimped on my crutches to the Elks Lodge to see whichever of my friends might happen to be there.

Baby Firefighter?

Logically, I suppose a child dropped the doll and a later by-passer placed it on the fire hydrant so it would be obvious to anybody returning hoping to retrieve said toy. I just thought it looked cool.

When I returned home, I took a couple pictures I perhaps should have taken this morning.

Can you even tell I mowed?

This is usually the day I meet up with some of my Elks friends for breakfast. Unfortunately, I had neglected to find out where they had decided to meet. I could have reached out to one of them to find out, but instead I thought I ought to mow my back lawn before the heat of the day, which promised to come early. Accordingly I went out and checked my gas container, which I had thought was empty and I would have to fill it. It had gas in it! I excitedly filled my power mower.

I was a little worried that it was only about 7:23. I walked out front and saw some guys in a pick-up truck turning around in the apartment building at the end of my street. I flagged them down and asked how early one could get away with mowing with a power mower. They thought 7 a.m. was a good time.

“I just don’t want anybody cursing me,” I said. Two guys in the pick-up thought I was all right. Encouraged, I went back to my mower.

Only to find out I could not start it. I primed it. I checked the oil. I waited and primed it again. I walked out front again and saw a young man who looked fairly muscular. I did not know him but made bold to approach him. Like Blanche DuBois, I have always relied upon the kindness of strangers. He nicely agreed to try. After a couple of tries, he got it started! Unfortunately, his keys were stuck in the safety doodah. Luckily, I was able to ease them out without stopping the mower.

Another view of my efforts. Please ignore the Halloween decorations behind the plywood.

Thanking my benefactor, I went at that back yard! I confess, there is quite a bit yet to be done with clippers, etc. However, when I finished what I could do I was tired!

Oh dear, look at this, I am over 450 words! That is a long blog post for me, and I have no ideas for a headline or a conclusion. Never mind. It is Thursday. I have made a blog post. As my mantra says: We do what we can do, and if it’s not enough: tough!

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Posted in humor, Non Sequitur Thursday, personal and tagged A Steetcar Named Desire, Blance DuBois, blog post, blogging, crutches, Elks friends, elks lodge, frienda, lawn order, power mower. Bookmark the permalink.

Back with the Breakfast Club!

Posted on June 26, 2026 by mohawkvalleygirl

Since I drove myself around Herkimer, NY (where I live) twice in the last two days, I made bold to drive to Little Falls to join my Elks friends for breakfast at Ann Street Deli. I believe I have mentioned that there is a group of us who meet every week for breakfast at various local places. It was not that far of a drive, after all. I made it there with no problem, found a parking place close to the door, and went in to await my friends. I did not have long to wait.

Good for breakfast or lunch!

As you may have guessed by the snow if not the Christmas decorations, this is a picture from earlier this year. It is difficult to take a picture while gimping along on two crutches. Sometimes I use one crutch in order to carry something in the other hand but I did not do so this morning.

I had a croissant sandwich with one egg, cheese, and sausage. It was quite tasty. I cannot remember the yummy sounding things my friends ordered, but I may order them another time; then I will remember and report back.

More than the good breakfast, I enjoyed the company of my friends. Being incurable sociable as I am, it was good to talk to people. Of course I was able to talk to family members this past weekend, but for the most part I have been alone on my couch. It’s not that I do not enjoy my own company, but you can get too much of a good thing.

I am so delighted to write about a Mohawk Valley Adventure again! I hope I can have another one soon.

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Posted in humor, local business, personal and tagged Ann Street Deli, blog post, blogging, breakfast out, breakfast sandwich, Elks friends, herkimer ny, Little Falls NY, Mohawk Valley adventures. Bookmark the permalink.

For Pete’s Sake!

Posted on May 1, 2026 by mohawkvalleygirl

Thursday morning I met a few of my Elks friends for breakfast at Marr-Logg Restaurant in Utica. I may have mentioned that a group of us meets every Thursday at various places in the area. We enjoyed a very good breakfast. I only took one picture, but I think it makes a pretty good story (or perhaps I flatter myself).

I kept looking at a figurine standing up over the counter on the other side of the restaurant. The lighting was not bright, and I was wearing an older pair of glasses, so I could not see it very well.

“I don’t know what that doll is,” I finally said.

“It’s the chef,” Michele said.

“Oh, that’s its hat, not its head. Silly me.” It also had flowers for eyes and was holding a flag. “I think I have to take a picture for my blog.” I went across the restaurant to do so, explaining to a waitress who happened to be standing there.

Isn’t he cute?

“He’s all dressed up,” she said. “His name is Pete.”

“It is not!” the man behind the counter said indignantly. I did not ask for the whole story, but I was amused by the man’s indignation.

Marr-Logg Restaurant is located at 1130 Culver Ave., Utica, NY, phone number 315-797-7730.

Mohawk Valley Girl